CT’s Sandy housing program yet to repair a single home

In this Oct. 16, 2013 photo, Paige Herman, president of the Fairfield Beach Residents Association, poses in front of her house on the beach in Fairfield, Conn. The association is giving away thousands of plants to encourage residents to create or expand sand dunes, and Herman thinks the little dune in front of her house likely prevented even worse damage than she suffered during Superstorm Sandy. The growing interest in building berms and dunes faces obstacles, including concerns about obstructed views in a swath of land with some of the nation's priciest real estate. (AP Photo/John Christoffersen)

A year after Superstorm Sandy ravaged the state’s coastline, not a single homeowner has been helped by a new program aimed at repairing homes.

Similar programs in New York and New Jersey have also failed to rehab a single house.

“Everybody says, ‘It’s a year later, and little has been done,’ and it’s true,” said Department of Housing and Urban Development spokesman Brian Sullivan.

One reason is that safeguards aimed at preventing fraud and abuse have slowed the flow of money to those who most need it. Sullivan said that jurisdictions hit by Sandy felt controls were needed “to make sure the repairs are done.”

Connecticut, New Jersey, New York state and New York City received billions of dollars in HUD Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) appropriated by Congress in a massive Sandy bill last January. The states have aimed most of the money distributed so far, nearly $6 billion, for housing needs, although the CDBG funds could also be used for infrastructure repair and economic development.

Connecticut’s Sandy housing program is barely off the ground, while those in New York and New Jersey are much closer to helping storm victims. Contributing to the delay in Connecticut is that New York, New Jersey and New York City submitted their plans to HUD by early April, while Connecticut did not turn in a plan until three months later, in July. As a result, the other jurisdictions got the green light from HUD earlier for their programs and their money first.